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Country: USA
Type: ICBM
Introduction: 1962 |
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The LGM-30A/B Minuteman I was an American nuclear missile, a land-based intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM). The LGM-30A Minuteman I entered service with the United States Air Force Strategic Air Command in 1962. The improved LGM-30B Minuteman I became operational in 1963. All 800 Minuteman I missiles were delivered by June 1965. The first generation of Minuteman missiles were withdrawn from operational service within a decade of being fully deployed.
The Minuteman I introduced two innovations that gave the missile series a long practical service life: a solid rocket booster, and a digital flight computer. The solid rocket booster made the Minuteman faster to launch than previous ICBM designs which required fueling immediately prior to launch. The digital computer was essential to obtain the accuracy gains that kept this weapon effective throughout the Cold War.
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| General Information |
| Developed by |
USA |
| Deployed by |
USA |
| Development Year |
1958 |
| Deployment Year |
Dec. 1962 (30A), Jul. 1963(30B) |
| Retirement Year |
1969 (30A), 1974(30B) |
| Number deployed |
800(30A 150, 30B 650) |
| Contractor |
Boeing Aerospace |
| Dimensions and Performance |
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Length |
16.45m(30A), 17.0m(30B) |
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Body Diameter |
1.88m |
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Launch Weight |
29,500kg |
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Range |
10,000km |
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Accuracy |
Unknown |
| Components |
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Propulsion |
3-stage solid-fuel rocket motor |
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Payload |
single warhead Mk 11RV |
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Warhead |
W-59 1.0MT nuclear |
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Guidance |
inertial |
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